Wrecked

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Sabaa! You’ve literally wrecked me once again. I didn’t think I’d ever recover from the Ember series, but here I am, sobbing like a baby after reading about Sal and Noor.

First, can we take a moment to appreciate the music in this book! I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard mentions of some of these artists and songs in my life, artists that also shaped my tender adolescence… Sigur Ros, Street Spirit (fade out), I mean…!!!!! Those mentions honestly left me speechless!

Now let’s move on to the book’s title. It’s simple, just three words, non-specific, however, the title selection could have only been dreamed up by a stroke of genius. All My Rage holds such profound meaning to the layers of the characters… characters who are so tender, vulnerable, complicated and altruistic, characters only Sabaa could create and give life to. My own emotions went through the ringer with this story!

All My Rage is an intimate portrayal of two teenager’s lives. Lives seen as otherwise mundane, yet a series of events threatens to destroy their futures in so many ways. The story is written using different POV’s which felt necessary to deeply appreciate each character’s struggles and intentions, and an unexpected POV that slowly exposes more to help the reader understand the trauma they have gone through. Throughout the book, there were so many moments of hope, inspiration, grief, and yes, rage, that at times felt completely heartbreaking yet simultaneously uplifting.

I couldn’t help but think that although they’re not connected, Salahudin and Noor’s lives reflected so much of the author’s previous work. Like embers in the ash, they each burned brightly… and like a sky beyond the storm, they both found hope.

I absolutely recommend this book for anyone who loves an emotional story, loves complex characters, and appreciates brilliant storytelling. But especially… if you love Sabaa’s previous books, this one is absolutely a must-read!